Dawn of the Mind
by Marcus
Summary: A sub-story to They Watch Us While We Sleep. Xander and Jean go into mind of a catatonic Dawn to help her come to terms with her mothers death. Please Read & Review!


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Disclaimer: This is a non-profit story, so don't sue please, all of the three shows involved in this story belong to their respected parties, this is just for the fun of it.

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Dawn Of The Mind

By: Marcus

Note: this is a part of Animefreeks **'They Watch Us While We Sleep'**, she did help with the idea for it. And please, Review this fic? I appreciate everyone's input on the things I write. Enjoy. =)

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Dawn walked through the dark streets. She wasn't walking towards a particular destination, she was just wandering aimlessly. The streets were barren, cold. She couldn't remember anything much, just walking up to the house where she lived, and then everything went blank, she found herself here.

There were no stars in the heavens above her, just the dank, bleak and dark clouded sky, she looked up to see them float by rapidly, she looked back ahead of her and continued to walk. "Hello? Is anyone here?" she called out as she looked into the dark, empty windows of several stores.

She seemed to be totally alone here, but she couldn't help but have the feeling that she needed to be somewhere, and where ever it was, it was important to be there.

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Xaviers Mansion, Weschester N.Y.

Jean and Scott Summers were in one of the vacant rooms in the mansion, this one was where the younger sister of Buffy Summers was kept, Dawn. Dawn lay still on the bed, her eyes open, breathing normally and steadily. Jean sat next to the child as Scott sat opposite to her on the other side of the bed.

Jean held the small child's hand, gently stroking it. She was scanning Dawn's mind, trying to find her, but she wasn't getting any results with this level of scanning, she would have to go deeper, and that meant going into her mind completely and look for her there.

"No luck?" Scott asked her, his concern for this child was genuine. Considering the fact that she was one of the two only remaining relatives he now had on Earth. Jean shook her head "No, I'm sorry Scott, I'm going to have to go deeper, inside her mind." Jean said, she looked from Dawn to her husband sitting closely to the both of them.

"I'll go tell Giles." Xander said as the married couple turned to see him half way in the room, his hand still on the door knob, he had a serious look on his face, it was mournful. Considering the recent events before his arrival here at the mansion, she couldn't blame him.

They waited for a couple of minutes. Then Xander returned, he took a seat at the chair next to the bed where Dawn lay in her catatonic state. "Ok, Giles gives it his blessing, but you two have to know something before we go in."

Scott and Jean gave him their full attention as they gave their steady gaze upon him. Xander took a deep breath before he told them what Giles had told him to tell "Dawn, aside from her appearance, is only a little over six months old, she used to be some kind of key, a ball of energy. She was sent to us by her former guardians, given flesh and life, we've been fighting some kind of being that predates the written and spoken word since that time." Xander said as he finished his explanation.

Jean looked at him as Scott set his eyes at Dawn. "Is there any danger to us?" Jean asked, concerned for those who would enter the child's mind, Xander shook his head "Don't think so, but it's better to stay careful just in case."

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Dawns Mind

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Dawn 

Dawn walked down the street, she knew this street, it was the street that she and Buffy lived on. "Mom?" she called out as she walked up to her home.

"I'm here Dawn!" Dawn heard from inside, she quickly opened the door and ran inside. She stopped, puzzled, as she found herself in the hospital lobby, it was dimly lit, she stood facing in the direction of two large swinging doors, it was dark on the other side of them. She felt fear, dread at what lay beyond those doors.

She turned and rushed away from the doors, away from the fear she felt. Time and everything else around her seemed to slow as she kept running farther and farther away. She found the elevator and quickly ran inside the already open door, she repeatedly pressed the button to send her to the main floor.

She posture, her breathing, everything about her since she saw those doors, she acted as though a vicious demon were chasing her down, hunting her.

Se felt the elevator lower itself, feeling the slight feeling of loosing mass. As the elevator slowed and came to a halt, the door opened. But what she saw wasn't the hospitals main floor, but her room. She walked through, out of the elevator and into her room. She turned around to look back, the elevator was gone, only the door to her room was there.

"Mom?" Dawn called out, "I'm here Dawn." She heard, it came from the next room, her heart lightened as the fear disappeared. She quickly bolted out of the room and ran to the door to her mothers room, she grabbed the knob, turned and swung the door open awaiting to see her mothers face, fresh with a smile.

What she saw again puzzled yet did not bother her in the least. She found herself in Spike lair, she saw the tamed vampire sitting in his chair watching the old television that sat before him. Dawn walked up, curious as she always was, and looked at him. Spike looked up and looked back at the television. He showed no signs of expression on his face, just blankness.

"Spike? Where is everyone?" she asked him, Spike looked up at her, with his blank expression "How the bloody hell should I know? Look around you." He said as he looked back to what he was watching. Dawn spun around and found herself at the magic shop.

"Hello?" she called out, she walked behind the counter and sat in the corner, huddled, keeping herself close together. She decided to wait, here is where she would stay. She told herself 'This is where mom will find me.'

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Jean and Xander

The last thing Xander remembered was sitting next to Dawn with Jean on the opposite side of them, Scott stayed at the foot of the bed to keep watch over them in case something went wrong.

Then he found himself in the middle of a field, outside of the Sunnydale College with Jean standing next to him, "You ok? Don't worry, you just need to get your bearings." She said as she put her hand on his shoulder. 

Xander shook his head and cleared his vision, he took a look around to see where they were, it was in fact the college, but it was different from the real one, there were no people, the sky was swirling madly with clouds, the lights were barely lit. "What place is this?" Jean asked as she herself looked around.

"Sunnydale College." Xander said, "Buffy and Willow attend here." He added. Jean looked around, hoping to find Dawn somewhere, after seeing no sign of her she turned back to Xander "Where would Dawn go in the real world if she felt afraid, a place where she could feel completely safe." She asked.

Xander thought for a moment "I suppose that would be her home." He answered, there weren't very many places on the hellmouth where one could feel completely safe except for home.

"Let's go then." Jean said as she and Xander began to walk away from the college, "By the way, welcome to the hellmouth." Xander said, his voice or attitude wasn't the way it always was, Jean obviously knew that he was still reeling from the death of Buffy's mother.

Jean looked at him, somewhat confused by the name "What's a hellmouth?" she asked, Xander smiled, it was the first time he did so in a few days, "It's a long story, but we seem to have time." He said as they walked into the darkness of the streets.

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Dawn

Dawn sat huddled in the corner of the shop behind the counter, she rested her head against the wall, her eyes closed, hoping to dream of better times.

"Sweetie," a voice said from over the counter, Dawn looked up to see the face she had been searching for, her mother. "Mom?" she said, relief flowed over her, she bolted to her feet as her mother vanished from her sight, in the few seconds it took Dawn to get to her feet, her mother was already at the front door of the shop.

She looked at the woman with longing and fear of being left alone, "Why won't you come to me honey?" her mother said calmly. Dawn ran for the door as her mother walked out of the shop, again, as before, everything around her slowed.

She pushed the door open, pushing it harder than it would go, she looked around in the streets, there was no sign of her mother anywhere, "Mom? Where are you?" she yelled out. She heard no answer, nothing but the silence that filled this town and it's streets.

She began to walk again, only now there was the look of fear and agitation in her heart and across her face. She was thinking about how hard it was to go to a person when the person kept vanishing on her.

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Xander and Jean

"So, the hellmouth is the focal point for all evil on earth?" Jean said as she was sorting the story Xander told her, Xander noted as he noted that they were outside of Spikes lair. Xander stopped, as did Jean "What is it?" she asked, Xander pointed at the entrance to the crypt "Spikes crypt, she could be here, it's a long shot." He said as he pushed the door open.

Inside they saw the vampire sitting in his chair, watching the television. "Who's Spike?" Jean whispered as she remained by Xanders side. Xander looked at her, "He's a vampire, not your average variety though, at least not anymore, it's another long story." He said as they walked up beside the chair in which he sat.

Spike looked up at them "What can I do ya for mates?" he asked, Xander thought about how to answer him, or for that matter, what was spike doing in Dawn's mind when there seemed to be no one else around. "Hey Spike. We're wondering if you've seen Dawn around somewhere?" he asked in a somewhat goofy and shy tone.

Spike looked at the television and didn't answer. Xander and Jean looked at the screen to see Dawn herself walking around aimlessly, looking for something or someone. "Where is she?" Jean asked aloud, not really addressing Spike or Xander.

When they looked back to the chair, Spike was gone, vanished without a trace. Xander stepped closer to the television and crouched down, "I know where she's going." He said as he rushed out of the crypt with Jean close behind.

They walked through the door and as Dawn, they found themselves somewhere completely different, it wasn't the grave yard, or even the cemetery for that matter, they were in the hospital, facing those same two swinging doors with the infinite darkness on the other side.

"This is the hospital, where we came. The morgue is past those doors." Xander said as he kept still, very still. The sight of those doors made him afraid as they gave fear to Dawn herself.

"I'm going with the most likely assumption that Dawn has to come to terms with her mothers death." Jean said she too seemed to be struck with fear. Xander nodded "I'd have to go with you on that too, by the time Giles got to her place, he found Dawn in the corner staring blankly like she is now." Xander said.

"Let's get out of here." Jean said, more like a plea actually. Xander nodded as they turned and walked to the elevator. They walked in and Jean pressed the button for the main floor. Without warning, the car began to plunge rapidly, as though the car were detached from its cables, the lights flickered on and off furiously.

Neither of them screamed as the feeling of it being not a fatal plunge was strong within them. "Find me. Come to me. I'm over here." They heard, Xander recognized it well, it was the voice of Joyce Summers. He closed his eyes and images burst into his mind, her dead corpse lying on the carpet in her home. Her eyes, cold and consuming, open, motionless.

Xander began to scream "Come here." Her voice said in echo's and whispers.

Xander found himself on the ground, in the street, with Jean crouching next to him, shaking him as though he had fallen asleep. He jerked to life, shaking and screaming, "Calm down Xander!" Jean said as she place a hand on his back, just below his neck.

Xander sat up, breathing heavily. He took a few moments to gather his wits. He looked around to see the street he saw Dawn walking around on the television screen just a couple of minutes earlier "This is where Dawn was wandering earlier." Xander said as Jean helped him to his feet.

"Are you ok?" she asked, Xander nodded as his breathing returned to normal, "It felt like a nightmare, like a memory that just went wrong, it felt like it was me there, for the first time." He said with fear over his face. Jean nodded "Some of her memories flowed into you, it's called a flash." She said as she rubbed her temples with her index fingers.

"You get one too?" he asked as he took concern for her condition, Jean nodded "Something about her wrist being cut, but nothing had the feeling of reality." She said, as she shook her head.

Xander knew what memory that was "That's when Dawn first found out who and what she really was, the key, she questioned everything, herself, her life, she was completely confused." He said as he looked around in the hopes of finding Dawn.

"Dawn?!" he called out loudly. He turned back to see Jean drop to the ground, he rushed to her and caught her in time, he lay her down gently as she began to shake violently with convulsions. "Jean?!" Xander cried as she continued with the spasms.

Her mind flew into Dawns. She found herself in the doorway to her room with Buffy looking around her room "What are you doing in here?" she asked, Buffy had a look on her face that showed she wasn't completely aware of her just yet. Like she was distracted by something.

Buffy rushed up to her, grabbed her by the arms and slammed her against the wall, "Who are you?" Buffy demanded, Jean felt the fear and anger that Dawn felt, "Let go of me!" she demanded as she began to struggle against Buffys grip.

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Scott

"Hank! Get to Dawns room pronto!" Scott cried into the intercom as Jeans body began to violently go into spasms, Scott rushed back to her and tried to hold her down.

Hank arrived momentarily with a medical kit, he took out a sedative to relax her body, it would most definitely affect her in her mind, "When did this start?" Hank asked, Scott thought hard and carefully, "At first Xander began to move a little roughly, but it ended as soon as it started, just after that Jean went into a fit, came on without warning." He said.

Hank and Scott stepped back as Jeans body remained still and rested, Hank looked back to his friend and in some ways, brother, "It appears that she was reacting out of fear to a memory or experience." He said. Concerned for his friends well being.

"What ever is going on in Dawns mind must be something fierce." Scott said as they looked at the three laying side by side.

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Xander and Dawn

Xander kneeled over Jean as she wearily opened her eyes, tears were flowing from her eyes. Xander shook her lightly to bring her out of it more, "What happened? Another flash wasn't it?" he said.

Jean nodded "It was so intense, Buffy, she had me by the arm, saying that I wasn't her sister. I was so afraid, and angry, I was struggling to get free of her grip." She said as she wiped her tears. Xander nodded "That was most likely the time when Buffy found out that Dawn wasn't really what she seemed to be." He said.

He noticed that she was more worn out than he had been "What's wrong?" he asked, Jean took him by the arm "They must have sedated my body, I can't go on with you Xander. You have to bring Dawn into the morgue, but she has to go willingly." Jean instructed him.

Xander nodded "I'll go find her." He said, "You stay here." He added as he rushed off around the corner, Jean leaned back against the wall of the building, she looked around, her mind was a little clouded from the weakening body in the real world. Xander turned the corner and once again found himself in the hospital, he saw Dawn standing in the waiting room.

Dawn found herself once again standing in front of the swinging doors that let into the darkness, she turned around to see Xander standing there behind her. "Xander? What are you doing here?" she asked, oblivious to where she really was, outside of the real world.

"Dawn, we have to go in there." Xander said as he walked up to her, "You have to remember and accept the truth.", Dawn shook her head and grief and sadness swelled within her heart "No, I have to find mom, she's waiting for me." Dawn answered.

Xander walked towards her, he stood just inches from her "No Dawn, we have to go in there, you can't run from this truth, you have to face it." He said, calmly, with a gentleness he always kept reserved for her. Dawn shook her head and her eyes began to go watery "No, I have to…" she was cut off, Xander grabbed her and spun her around so she faced the doors "You have to go in there." He said dryly, the gentleness was less apparent in his voice.

She stared at the doors, speechless, pain and sorrow flowed through her now "I can't." she whispered, it was barely audible to Xanders ears "Why not?" he demanded, he hated to be tactful with her, but he knew that he had to push her on this. Dawn shook her head, her heart felt as though it were about to explode, it was heavy, like it lay there dead, as though she were one of the undead.

Her breathing was shallow, her lungs screamed for more air, but she was unable to breath more for them, her stomach lurched. "I'm afraid." She said, Xander walked to the front of her and held out his hand to her "I'll bring you." He said as he looked into her eyes.

The fear and dread lightened as Dawn took his hand, she looked into his eyes also, it seemed like his soul was her shield against the fears in her heart.

They walked side by side, Dawns hand in Xanders as they pushed the doors open and vanished into the darkness. The hall was cold and murky feeling, like it was sterile and dead, like the people that would possibly lay ahead of them.

They came to another set of doors "You have to open them Dawn, I can't do it for you." Xander said, Dawn looked at him and then to the doors, taking a deep breath she pushed them open. She walked in as Xander followed from a discreet distance, not far enough to leave her alone, but close enough to be there at her side close by.

There was a single stretcher in the room, they saw a white sheet over top, covering a body. Dawn slowly walked up to the stretcher. She stood still to the side of it, she brought her hand up to take hold of the sheet, she took a deep breath as she waited a moment before seeing what was under it.

She gasped and became weak in the knees as she saw her mother on the slab, her eyes open, staring blankly to the ceiling "Mom?" she said with trembles in her voice. "She's not there anymore." Xander said, there was a loving care in his voice, but at the same time his voice sounded cold and dry.

Dawn moved her hand closer and closer to her mothers face, "Where is she?" she asked in her whispers of words, Xander walked up next to her "Where do you think?" he asked her. A tear ran down her cheek as she closed her mothers eyes "She's dead." She said as trembles echoed into her voice.

Xander simply watched as Dawn moved the sheet back over her mothers cold face "Goodbye." She said aloud, Xander still watched as Dawn turned around and walked away. The darkness beyond the doors was replaced by a brilliant white light illuminated their surroundings.

Jean lay on the street as the clouds parted and the darkness turned to light, she smiled softly as everything was consumed by the brightness.

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Reality

Jean and Xander awoke to see Scott and Hank looming over them. "Scott?" Jean said wearily, the last thing she remembered was being covered and bathed I a brilliant white light. "It's ok Jean, you're fine." Scott said as he gently took her and held her. They saw Xander sit up slowly and shake his head, she looked at them "Hey." He said in his goofy tone, Jean exhaled sharply as she smiled warmly at the young man.
"Did it work?" Hank asked as he flashed a light in Xanders eyes, Xander squinted his eyes as her turned away from the damned light "I hope so, we just have to wait until…" he was cut off by the stirring sounds of Dawn. She moaned lightly as she slowly began to open her eyes.
Both Jean and Xander moved over her, "Dawn? Are you ok?" Jean asked gently, Dawn slowly sat up and looked down towards her feet, sniffles and sounds of crying began to come from her. She looked up to Xander who saw her tears, then she looked to Jean who looked at her with sadness as well. 
"My moms dead." She said, her voice was trembling and drenching in sadness, Jean did the only thing she could do, she pulled Dawn close to her and held her tightly, gentle stroking her hair, "It's ok, let it out." She whispered to the young child. Dawn continued to cry, tears welled and flowed from her eyes, her wails could be heard from everyone. 
Scott and Xander joined in too, holding the grief stricken child, Dawn put an arm around them as well, keeping them close to her.
"Why? Why did she have to die?" she asked, her voice shaken by light spasms, Xander was crying now too, Dawn had never seen him cry before "I don't know Dawn, I wish I knew." He said as he hugged the young child.
After a long while of letting the bottled emotions out, Dawn was resting in Jeans loving embrace, she gentle rock Dawn back and forth, humming to her softly. Dawn rested against the woman's chest, her eyes closed. "The doctors said it had something to do with the tumor she had, an aneurysm." Dawn said calmly.
Scott and Xander had left to go to the medlab with Hank, they wanted to be sure if there wasn't anything wrong with Xander after the convulsions he had earlier. It was just Jean and Dawn in the room. "God obviously had a reason for taking her away." Jean said, sadness was crept over her face.
Such a young child, and for her to go through all these events at this time in her life, the truth about her, her sister fighting such demons, and the effects it all has on her, Jean knew this wasn't how a young girl should grow up. "I just wish I could know that reason." Dawn replied, Jean came out of her train of thought, she momentarily forgot that she said something to her.
"So do I." Jean said as she kept a gentle hold over the young girl. She had an understanding of this girl, like she was there for everything she had gone through, she knew now that she had to try and give this child some happiness.
End
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